My grandmother is going to be 90 next week. She is still quite spry. She walks to the store, to church and the bank. She has a busier social life than I do. So it was quite concerning last week when I received a call from my mom telling me that my grandmother fell. She was checked out by a physician, and thankfully there was nothing broken. When I spoke to my grandmother about how she fell, she told me she was outside knocking down icicles from her gutters with a broom and slipped, falling backwards!
How does one keep safe from falling outside? Here are some tips:
- Look at the pavement or sidewalks where you walk around your home. Are the surfaces smooth and even? Are icy outdoor areas sprinkled with salt and cleared as soon as possible after a snow fall or freeze? Are outdoor areas free of rocks, loose boards and other tripping hazards?
- Hold onto the hand rails even if it does not appear to have ice or snow on the steps. The dark can "hide" trip hazards. A simple solution is having motion detector lights installed. This way the lights will turn on even if you forgot to turn on your regular outside lights. Also place rubber back mats at your doorways for people to wipe their feet.
- When you are outside walking around, what are you wearing? Do you have on boots or shoes that have supportive soles and heels that provide good traction? Bifocals can be difficult to wear when walking. Your depth perception can be skewed with bifocals.
Most important, just slow down. Would these tips prevent my grandmother from falling? Possibly. One thing is for certain, she has decided to leave the icicles alone.